Friday, 7 August 2015

SUMMER SCI FI BOOK PILE

During our holiday away I read four Sci Fi and Fantasy novels. I doubt if any of them spawned any toys as they are all adult themed, but there could of course be some memorabilia around, which would be interesting to know.

The first book was called Brain written by Robin Cook in 1981. A hospital thriller, a genre which I love, it basically combines cutting edge computerisation with lobotomy! Not for the faint hearted!

my cover

It's similar but less effective than Cook's earlier novel, Coma, which was made into a fabulous film starring Michael Douglas, Genevieve Bujold and Richard Widmark. I always thought that a coma playset would have worked, using a plastic room and lots of Kens and Barbies strung up. A bit like the Map Room playset from Indy Jones by Kenner. Coma wasn't a kids film though so no Kenner playset.

The next book I read was the Boys from Brazil by Ira Levin dated 1976, which was also made into an excellent movie starring Gregory peck and Laurence Olivier. Considered to be Sci Fi at the time, I'm not so sure now as its essentially about cloning. Definately not a kid's book or film so no toys.

Next up was another Ira Levin thriller, Rosemary's Baby, from 1967. I say thriller, its a horror novel really, concerning modern day witchcraft in urban America. The writing is superb and the build-up to the final devastating chapter is nerve-shredding. Again, this was brilliantly filmed, by Roman Polanski a year later in 1968, starring Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes and the creepy Ruth Gordon. After reading the book I wouldn't accept Tannis Root from anybody! If the last two novels weren't enough Ira Levin also wrote the Stepford Wives! So much talent its scary!

1967 first edition cover [wiki] - not mine!

My final book of the holiday was the chillingly titled The Death of Grass, by John Christopher. Published in 1956 it was the oldest book I read. It was also the most frightening. The author sets out to describe what would happen if grass died out. All grass, everywhere. Using two brothers as the centre ground round which this apocalyptic story unfolds, I was shocked by its sheer brutality. A part of it was set in Yorkshire where I live!

1956 first edition cover [wiki] - not mine either!

Society has broken down and so have all the rules. There aren't any Governments anymore and the speed at which violence takes over was quite shocking. The Death of Grass was the surprise of the holiday as I had never heard of it or the author before. It was also filmed, in 1970, as No Blade of Grass starring Nigel Davenport and Jean Wallace, a flick I have yet to see.

2 comments:

Took a large Raymond Chandler omnibus along to Tuscany (one I haven't read long enough that I've forgotten almost all of it). But when there in that beautiful country, I didn't read it any of it because the dark side of California just didn't seem appropriate. :)